Patent · US Expired

Metal halide arc discharge lamp with means for suppressing convection currents within the outer envelope and methods of operating same

US4499396A · kind A · utility

32Cited by
9References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 18, 1982
Grant dateFeb 12, 1985
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 18, 2002

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01J61/52
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A metal halide arc discharge lamp having a gaseous fill within the outer envelope and means for suppressing convection currents within such fill; and methods of operating and constructing such lamps. A light-transmissive sleeve or enclosure surrounding the arc tube laterally and about at least one end thereof is so shaped and mounted with respect to the arc tube as to insure that the Rayleigh Number, a quantitative measure of convection flow, in the atmosphere laterally surrounding the arc tube will be less than 5.times.10.sup.4 during operation of the lamp whereby excessive convective heat loss in such lamp will be effectively suppressed.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.